THOMASTON, GA - Agents with the GBI's  High Technology Investigations Unit (HTIU), along with deputies from the Upson County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant yesterday at 535 Meadow Drive in Thomaston and discovered images of suspected child pornography on a computer belonging to Dawn Brantley.   During the search,  methamphetamine and meth smoking devices were discovered in the residence.

Agents charged Brantley with Possession of Child Pornography and Upson County Sheriff's Deputies charged her with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act.  The search warrant was a result of a Peer to Peer investigation in which the IP address associated with this location was observed sharing images of suspected or known child pornography. 

Brantley, 44, was transported to the Upson County Jail.  Three children at the residence were turned over to Upson County Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS).  Brantley, who is unemployed, is a former school teacher and licensed nurse. The investigation into this matter is continuing with additional arrests possible.

This investigation is part of the ongoing effort by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, housed within the HTIU, to identify those involved in the child porn trade. The ICAC Program, created by the U. S. Department of Justice, was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, the proliferation of child pornography, and the heightened online activity by predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.

In 2008, the Georgia ICAC Task Force made 109 arrests and in 2009 made 164 arrests. Through July of this year, the Task Force has made 112 arrests.

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Contact Information:

John Bankhead - 404-270-8330

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